2012 AUDI Q7 fuel

-Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to "P" (Park).
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wa it until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care­
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com­
partment .
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo­
nents. They can cause a fire.
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili­
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly.
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm. The cool­
ant system is pressurized and hot cool­
ant could spray out .
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir .
- If work on the fuel system or the electri­
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
- Never smoke or work near heaters or
open flames. Fluids in the engine com­
partment could start a fire.
- Keep an approved fire extinguisher im­
mediately available.
- To avoid electrical shock and personal in­
jury while the engine is running or being
started, never touch:
- Ignition cables
- Other components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system.
-If you must perform a check or repair
with the engine running:
- First, fully apply the parking brake,
move selector lever to "P" (Park).
Checking and filling 259
-Always use extreme caution to prevent
clothing, jewelry, or long hair from get­
ting caught in the radiator fan, V-belts
or other moving parts, or from contact­ ing hot parts . Tie back hair before
starting, and do not wear clothing that
will hang or droop into the engine.
- Minimize exposure to emission and
chemical hazards
9 .&, .
&_ WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning:
- Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth de­
fects and reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and
certain products of component wear con­
tain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
- Battery posts, terminals and related ac­
cessories contain lead and lead com­
pounds, chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and reproduc ­
tive harms. Wash hands after handling .
(D Note
When adding fluids, always make sure that
they are poured into the proper container
or filler opening, otherwise serious dam­
age to vehicle systems will occur.
@ For the sake of the environment
To detect leaks in time, inspect the vehicle
floor pan from underneath regularly. If
you see spots from oil or other vehicle flu­
ids, have your vehicle inspected by an au­
thorized Audi dealer. •
•

262 Checking and filling
VW 502 00 (vehicles with gasoline engine) or
VW 507 00 (vehicles with diese l engine).
C hanging the engine oil
The engine oil and o il fil te r must be changed
according to the m ileage (ki lomete rs) and
time inte rva ls spe cified in your vehicle 's War­
ra nty
& Main ten ance booklet. Do not ex ceed
these in tervals - harmful depos its from ol d
engine o il can reduce engine performance an d
can lead to expensive engi ne re pairs.
C hanging the o il at th e recommen ded i nte r­
v al s is so very impor tant because t he lub ric at ­
ing p roperties o f oi l decrease gra dually du ring
norma l vehicle use . If you are not sure when
you have yo ur oil changed, ask yo ur aut ho r­
i z ed A udi Service Advisor.
Unde r some ci rc u ms tances the engine o il
should even be change d mo re frequently .
C hange o il more often if you drive mostly
short d istances, ope rate the vehicle in d usty
areas or mostly under stop-and-go traffic con­
d it ions, or when you use your veh icle w he re
tem peratures stay below freez ing poin t fo r
l ong periods .
Detergent addit ives i n the o il w ill make fresh
oil look dark after the eng ine has been run­
ni ng fo r a shor t time . This is no rma l and is not
a reason to change the o il mo re often tha n
r e co m men ded.
Damage or malfunctions due to lack of
maintenance
It is essential that yo u change your oil at the
recommended interva ls using only engine o il
that complies with Audi oi l standard
VW 502 00 (vehicles wi th gasoli ne e ngine) or
VW 507 00 (ve hicles with diese l engi ne) . Yo ur
Li m ite d N ew Vehicle Warranty does no t cove r
d am age or m alfu ncti ons due to f ailure to fol­
l ow recommended main tenance and use re­
q uir ements as set forth in the A udi Owne r's
M anual a nd Warra nty
& M aintenance book let.
Your dea ler will have to deny war ranty cover­
age un less yo u present to the dea le r proof in
the f orm of Service or Repa ir Orders that a ll scheduled mai
ntenance was perfo rme d in a
t imely man ne r.
Engine oil consumption
To prov ide effective l ubr ication and cooling for
i nter na l eng ine parts, a ll interna l combustion
engi nes use some o il. Oil consumption va ries
from eng ine to engi ne and may cha nge over
t h e life of the engine. Engines tend to use
more o il du ring t he b reak-in pe riod tha n they
do afterwa rd, w hen oil c onsum ption ha s sta­
b ilized. Dependi ng on the w ay the vehicle is
driven and the operati ng conditions, oil con ­
s u mption can be up to 1 q uart per 1, 200
miles (1 liter per 2,000 km) . Consumption
may be higher within the first 3,000 m iles
(5,000 km) .
Un der normal con ditions , the rate o f oi l con­
s u mption depen ds on o il quality as well as vis ­
cosity, engine spee d (rpm), outs ide tempera­
ture, road conditions, the amount of oil dil u­
t io n caused by condensed water or fue l resi ­
du e, and ox ida tion of the o il. Oil co nsu mp tion
may incr eas e with eng ine w ear ov er time, un ­
t il repl acemen t of w orn en gine p arts may be­
co me ne ce ssar y.
B eca use of all thes e var iables , there is no
sta nda rd o r "n orma l" ra te of o il cons umption .
We urge you to check the engine oil level at
regular intervals, preferably every time you
fill the fuel tank, and always before a long
trip.
The oil pressure warning light. i s not an
indicator of low engine oil level. If the warn ­
ing light does not go out after starting, or
flashes while driving (above 1500 rpm), a
buzzer will sound. It indicates that the oil
pressure is too low . Stop the engine immedi·
ately, check the engine oil level and add oil if
necessary. If the engine oil level is normal,
but the light continues to flash, do not keep
driving or let the engine idle, as damage may
occur .
II-

If you be lieve your engine uses too much oil,
w e recommend that you consult your author­
ized Audi dealer so that the cause of your con­
cern can be properly diagnosed . Keep in mind
that accurate measurement of oil consump­
tion requires great care and may take some
time . Your Aud i dealer has instruct ions for
how to measure oil consumption accurately .
_& WARNING
Stop! Before work ing in the engine com­
pa rtment, always read and heed all WARN­
INGS
¢ .& in Working in the engine com­
partment on page 258.
The engine com­
partment of any motor ve hicle is
a poten­
tially dangerous area and can cause ser i­
ous pe rsonal injury.
(D Note
- The eng ine depends on oi l to lubr icate
and cool a ll of its moving parts . The en­
gine o il m ust be checked regu larly and
kept at the required leve l.
- Make it a habit to have the engine oil lev­
el checked every time you fill the fuel
tank.
- Too little engine oil may ca use severe en­
gine damage.
Checking the engine oil level
The dipstick indicates the engine oil level.
Fig. 230 Ill ust rat io n of principle 1: Markers on o il dip­
s tick
Checkin g and fillin g 263
Fig . 231 Il lust rati on of p rin ciple 2: Ma rke rs o n oil d ip ­
stick
Before you check anyt hing in the engine com­
partment,
alway s read a nd heed all WARN­
INGS ¢ A in Working in the engine compart­
ment on page 258 .
Determining oil level
.,. Park yo ur vehicle so that it is horizonta lly
level.
.,. While at operating state tempe rature,
briefly let the engine run at idle and then
shut it off.
.,. Wait approx. two minutes.
.,. Pull out the oil dipstick . W ipe off the oil
d ipstick with a clean cloth, and sl ide it back
in as far as it w ill go.
.,. Pull it back out and read off the o il level
r=> fig. 230 or r=> fig. 231. Top off the eng ine
oil, if applicable ¢
page 264 .
Oil level within range (v
.,. Do not add oil.
Oil le ve l within range@
.,. You can add oil. Afterwards, the oil leve l
sh ould be within range@.
Oil le vel within rang e 0
.,. Yo u must add oil. Afterwards, the oil leve l
should be within range @.
T he oil leve l needs to be checke d at regu lar in ­
terva ls. The best t imes to do this are whenev -
er you refuel and prior to long trips.
Depend ing o n the way the vehicle is dr iven
and the ope rat ing cond it ions, o il co nsumption
can be up to 1 q uart per 1,200 mi les ( 1 liter
Ill>

-Never mount used tires on yo ur vehicle if
you are not sure of their "previous histo­
ry." Old used tires may have been dam­
aged even though the damage cannot be
seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
Glossary of tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
means the comb ined weight (in excess of
those standard items wh ich may be rep laced)
of automa tic tra nsmission, power steering,
power br akes, power w indows, power sea ts,
radio, and heater, to the ex tent that these
items are avai lab le as factory -installed equip ­
ment (whether installed or not).
Aspect ratio
means the rat io of the height to the w idt h of
the tire in percent. Numbers of 55 or lower in ­
d icate a low sidewall fo r improved s teer ing re ­
sponse and better overall handling on dry
pavement.
Bead
means the pa rt of the t ire t hat is made o f
s teel wires, wrapped o r rein force d by ply cor ds
and that is shaped to fit the r im.
Bead separation
means a b reakdown of the bond between
components in the bead.
Cord
means the strands forming the plies in the
tire.
Cold tire infl ation pressure
means t he tire pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer for a t ire of a designated
size that has not been dr iven for more than a
couple of miles (kilometers) at low speeds in
the three hour period before the tire pressure
i s measu red or adjusted.
Tire s an d wheel s 275
-If you notice un usua l vibration or if the
veh icle pulls to one side when driv ing, a l­
ways stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for dam­
age.
Curb weight
mea ns the we ight of a motor ve hicle w it h
standard equipment in cl ud ing t he maximum
capa city of fuel, o il, and coolant, ai r cond i­
tion ing a nd addi tional weig ht o f optiona l
equipment .
Extra load tire
means a t ire design to operate at h igher loads
and at higher inflation pressures than the cor­
respondi ng s tanda rd tire. Extra load tires may
be identified as "X L", "xl", "EXTRA LOA D", or
"R F" on the sidewall .
Gross Axle Weight Rating ("GAWR ")
mea ns the load-carry ing capac ity of a s ingle
axle system, measured at the tire-ground in­
te rfaces.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating ( "GVWR ")
means the maximum total loaded we ight of
t h e ve hicle.
Groove
means the space between two adjacent tread
ribs.
Load rating (code )
means the maximum load tha t a t ire is rated
to carry for a given inflation pressure. Yo u
may not find this information on all tires be­
ca use it is not required by law.
Maximum load rating
me ans the loa d ra ti ng f or a t ire at the maxi­
mum pe rm issi ble inflat ion pressure for that
ti re .
•
•
...

pressure label lists the recommended cold
tire i nflatio n pressures for the vehicle at its
maximum capacity we ight a nd the tires that
were on your vehicle at the time it was man ­
ufactured . For recommended t ire pressures
for normal load condit ions, please see chap ­
ter ~
page 2 78 .
-Turn the valve stem cap counter-clockwise
to remove it from the tire valve .
- Place the air pressure gauge on the valve.
- The tire pressures should only be checked
and adjusted when the tires are cold . The
s light ly raised pressures of warm tires must
not be reduced .
- Adjust the tire pressure to the load you are
carrying.
- Re insta ll the va lve stem cap on the valve .
When should I check the tire pressure ?
The correct tire pressure is especially impor ­
tant at high speeds . The pressure sho uld
therefo re be checked at least once a month
and a lways before start ing a journey. Do not
forget to check the tire pressure for the spare
wheel.
When should I adju st the tire pre ssures?
Ad just the tire pressure to the load you are
carrying. After changing a wheel
or replacing
wheels you have to adjust the tire pressures
on all wheels. In addition, you must then
store the new tire pressures i n the t ire pres­
sure mon itor ing system
~ page 294.
A WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or unde rinfla­
tion ca n lead sudden tire failure, loss of
cont ro l, col lision, ser ious persona l inju ry
or even death.
- Whe n the wa rning symbo l
RI] appears in
the instrument cl uster, s top an d inspect
the tires.
- Incorre ct tire pressure and/or unde rinfla­
t ion can cause inc reased t ire wear and
can affect the handling o f the veh icle and
stopp ing ability.
- Incorrect tire pressures and/or underin­
flation can also lead to sud den tire fa il-
Tires an d wheel s 281
ure, including a blowout and sudden de­
flation, ca using loss of veh icle contro l.
- The driver is responsib le for the correct
tire pressures for all tires on the veh icle.
The applicable pressure values are locat­
ed on a sticker o n the dr iver's s ide B-pil­
lar .
- Onl y when all tires on the vehicle are fil­
led to the correct pressure, the t ire pres­
sure mon itor ing system can work cor­
rectly .
- The use of incorrect tire pressure va lues
can lead to acc idents or other damage .
Therefore it is ess ential that th e drive r
observe t he spec ified t ire p ress ure val ues
for the tires and the cor rect pressures for
the func tion of the t i re p ress ure moni to r­
ing system.
- Always in flate tires to the recommen ded
a nd correct t ire p ress ure be fore dr iv ing
off .
- D riving with unde rinf lated tires bend
mo re, letting them get too hot resulting
in tread separation, s udden tire failure
and loss of control.
- Excessive speed and/overloading can
cause heat b uild- up, sudden tire failure
and loss of control.
- If the tire pressure is too low or too high,
the t ires will wear prematurely and the
veh icle w ill not handle well.
- If the tire is not flat and you do not have
to change a wheel immediately, d rive at
red uced speed to the nearest service sta­
tion to check the t ire press ure and add
air as requ ired .
(D Note
Driving w ithout valve stem caps can cause
damage to the tire valves. To prevent this,
a lways make sure that factory installed
valve s tem caps o n all whee ls are sec urely
mounted o n the valve .
@ For the sake of the environment
Underinflated tires will also increase the
fuel consumpt ion.
•
•

28 2 T ire s and wheel s
Tires and vehicle load limits
There are limits to the amount of load or
weight that any veh icle and any t ire can carry.
A vehicle that is overloaded wi ll not handle
well and is more difficult to stop. Overload ing
can not on ly lead to loss of vehicle control
,
but can a lso damage impo rtant parts of the
vehicle and can lead to sudden tire failure in-
,
eluding a blowout and sudden deflation that
can cause the veh icle to crash .
Your safety and that of your passengers a lso
depends on making sure that load limits are not exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody
and everyth ing in and on the vehicle . These
load limits are tech nically referred to as the
vehicle 's
Gr oss Vehicl e W eig ht Rating
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the we ight of the basic
vehicle, all factory installed accessories , a full
tank of fuel , oi l, coo lant and other fluids plus
maximum load. The maxim um load includes
the number of passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry ("seating capacity") with an
assumed weight of 150 lbs (68 kg) for each
passenger at a designated seating position
and the tota l weight of any l uggage in the ve­
h icle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the
trailer h itch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trailer must be included as part of the
ve hicle load .
The
G ro ss Ax le We ight Rat ing ("GAWR") is
the maximum load that can be applied at each
of the vehicle's two axles .
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the
Gross Axle Weight Rating are listed on the
safety compliance st icker label located on the
driver's side B -p illar . Your Audi has 5 seating
positions, 2 in the front and 3 i n the rear for
total seating capacity of 5. On vehicles w ith
six seats*, your veh icle has two front seats,
two seats in the second row seating and two
seats in the third row seating . On vehicles
with seven seats*, your vehicle has two front
seats, three seats in the second row seating
and two seats in the third row seating . Each seating position has a seat belt
q
page 170,
Safety belts .
The fact that there is an upper limit to yo ur
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating means
that the total weight of whatever is being car­
ried in the vehicle (including the weight of a
trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded tra iler) is lim ited. The more passen­
gers in the vehicle or passengers who are
heavier than the standard we ights assumed
mea n that less we ight can be carr ied as lug­
gage .
The tire pressure label on your Audi also lists
the maximum combined weig ht of a ll of the
occupants and luggage or other cargo that
the vehicle can carry . Fo r the location of the
label qpage278, fig. 237.
_& WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of ve­
h icle cont ro l, a crash or other accident, se­
rious personal injury, and even death.
- Ca rrying more we igh t than your veh icle
was des igned to carry wi ll prevent the
vehicle from handling properly and in­
crease the risk of the loss of vehicle con­
trol.
- The brakes on a vehicle that has been
overloaded may not be able to stop the
veh icle w ith in a safe distance.
- Tires on a vehicle that has been over load­
ed can fail s uddenly, including a blowout
and sudden deflation, causing loss of
control and a crash .
- Always make sure that the total load be­
ing transported -including the weight of
a trailer hitch and the tongue we ight of a
loaded trailer -does not ma ke the vehi­
cle heavi er than the vehicle's Gross Vehi­
cle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load limit
U se t he exa mple b elo w t o ca l­
c ulat e th e t otal w eight of the
pa sseng ers a nd luggage or

29 0 T ire s and wheel s
was manufactured . Please see ¢ page 286,
Speed roting (letter code) for
a listing of the
speed rating letter codes and the maximum
speed at which the t ires can be driven.
The speed rating letter code ( ¢
page 2 76) is
on the side wall of the tire ¢
page 285.
A WARNING
Winter tires have maximum speed limits
that may be lower than your vehicle's max­
imum speed. Always know the maximum
speed before driving off . Never drive faster
than the speed permitted for your specific
w inter t ires. This will cause damage to the
tires leading to an accident and serious
personal inj ury to you and your passen­
gers .
A WARNING
=
Driving faster than the maximum speed
for which the winter tires on your vehicle
were designed can cause tire fai lure in­
cluding a blowout and sudden deflation,
loss of control, crashes and serious per­
sonal injuries. Have worn or damaged tires
rep laced immed iate ly .
- Winter tires have maximum speed rat ing
that may be lower than your veh icle's
maximum speed .
- Never drive faster than the speed for
w hich the winter or other tires installed
on your vehicle are rated.
A WARNING
Always adjust your d riving to the road and
traffic conditions. Neve r let the good ac­
celeration of the wi nte r t ir es and all-whee l
dr ive temp t you in to taking extr a ris ks. A l­
ways remember:
- Whe n bra king, an a ll-wheel d rive vehicle
hand les in the same way as
a front drive
vehicle.
- Drive caref ully and reduce your speed on
icy and slippery roads, even winter tires
cannot he lp under black ice conditions.
{® For the sa ke of the env ironment
Use summer tires when weather condi­
tions permit. They are qu ieter, do not wear
as quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
Snow chains
Snow cha ins may be f itted only to the rear
whee ls, and only to certain tire sizes . Ask your
autho rized Aud i dealer on which tire sizes
snow c hains ca n be used.
The snow chains must have low-prof ile links
and must not be t hicker than 0.53 inch
(13 .5 mm), includ ing the loc k.
Remove wheel center covers and trim discs
before putt ing snow chains on your vehicle
¢ @ . For safety reasons cover caps must then
be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are ava il­
able from autho rized Aud i deale rs.
A WARNING
Using the wrong snow chai ns for your veh i­
cle o r insta lling them inco rrect ly can in­
crease the risk of loss of cont ro l leading to
se rious pe rsonal injury.
- Snow chains are available in different
sizes. Always make sure to follow the in ­
structions p rov ided by the snow chain
manufacturer.
- When driving with snow chains never
drive faster than the speed permitted for
your specif ic snow chains.
- Always observe local regulations .
(D Note
-Remove snow chains before dr iv ing o n
roads not covered with snow to avoid
damaging tires and wea ring the snow
chains down unnecessarily.
- Snow chains, which come into direc t con ­
tact with the whee l rim, can scratch or
damage it . Therefo re, make sure that the
snow chains are s uitably covered. Check
the pos ition of the snow chains after

292 Tires and wheels
month and alway s before a long trip
~ page 280, Checking tire pressure.
What you can do to avoid tire and rim
damage
L ow aspect ratio tires can be damaged more
eas ily by impact with potho les, curbs, gu llies
or ridges on the road, particularly if the tire is
underinflated.
I n order to minimize the occu rrence o f impact
damage to the tires of your vehicle, we recom­
mend that you observe the following precau­
tions:
- Always maintain recommended inflation pressures. Check your tire pressure every
2,000 miles (3,000 km) and add a ir if neces­
sary.
- Drive carefu lly on roads with potholes, deep
gullies or ridges. The impact from driving
through or over such obstacles can damage
your t ires. Impact with a curb may also
cause damage to your tires.
- After any impact, immediately inspect your
tir es or have them inspected by the nearest
authorized Aud i dealer . Replace a damaged
t ir e as soon as possible .
- Inspect your t ires every 2,000 miles (3,000
km) for damage and wear . Damage is not al­
ways easy to see. Damage can lead to loss of
air and unde rinflation, wh ich could eventu­
ally cause tire failure. If yo u be lieve that a
tire may have been damaged, replace the
tire as soon as possible.
- T hese tires may wear more quickly than oth­
ers.
- Please also remember that, while these tir es
deliver responsive handling, they may ride
l ess comfortably and make more noise than
other choices.
Reduced performance in winter/cold
season conditions
All tires are designed for certain purposes .
The low aspect ratio, ultra high performance
tires originally installed on your vehicle are in­
tended for maximum dry and wet road per­
formance and handling . They are not suitable
for cold, snowy or icy weather condit ions . If you drive
under those circumstances, you
shou ld equip your vehicle with all-season or
winter tires , which offer better traction under
those conditions. We suggest you use the rec­ ommended snow or all-season t ires specified
for your vehicle, or their equivalent .
Refer to~
page 289 for more detailed infor­
mation regarding winter tires.
Tire pressure
monitoring system
General notes ill
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and in­
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your
vehicle has tires of a different size than the
s iz e indicated on the vehicle placard or tire in­
flat ion press ure la bel, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those
ti res.)
As an added safety feature, your ve hicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system ( TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. According­
l y, when the low tire pressure te lltale illumi­
nates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inflate them to the
proper pressure . Driving on a sign ificantly un ­
der- inflated t ire causes the tire to overheat
and can lead to tire fa ilure. Under-inflation al­
so reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle's hand ling and
stopping ability .
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire ma intenance, and it is the driv­
er's responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the leve l to trigger illuminat ion of the
T PMS low tire pressure tellta le .
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
T PMS ma lfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
ll>